Sports / Soccer
Zimbabwe Warriors dispatch battling Lesotho
19 Oct 2015 at 06:32hrs | Views
DANCING WARRIORS . . . Double scorer Rodreck Mutuma (left) leads his teammates in celebrations after he completed his brace in the CHAN qualifier, final round, first leg qualifier against Lesotho at Barbourfields - (Picture by Saul Mundani)
Rodrick Mutuma grabbed a brace as Zimbabwe overcame a battling Lesotho 3-1 in the first leg of the Chan qualifier clash played in Bulawayo on Sunday afternoon
The match was goalless at half-time as the battling visitors frustrated Calisto Pasuwa's team, but events took a dramatic turn soon after the break as Mutuma netted twice in a ten-minute spell to calm the home nerves. Captain Danny Phiri scored Zimbabwe's third.
Highlanders forward Knox Mutizwa was fouled inside the box just three minute after the break and Mutuma stepped up to convert the resultant spot-kick.
The ginger-haired forward then pounced again nine minutes later with Mutizwa once more involved, but Lesotho were giving as much as they were getting and at times showing more attacking intent.
And they were soon back in the match when Tsepo Lekhoana took advantage of some slack marking to punish the home defence.
Pasuwa then brought in Edmore Chirambadare for Bruce Kangwa in attempt to shake things up as Lesotho threatened to level matters.
It was however, the introduction of FC Platinum forward Brian Muzondiwa for Mutuma which brought some urgency to the Zimbabwean front line.
Muzondiwa was involved in Zimbabwe's third as he chest-passed for Mutizwa to set up Phiri, who slammed home with an unstoppable shot.
How Mine goalkeeper Donovan Bernard was in goal for Zimbabwe behind a central defensive partnership of debutant Steven Makatuka and U-23 star Teenage Hadebe.
An overwhelmed Tafadzwa Kutinyu surprisingly got the nod in midfield ahead of free scoring ZPC Kariba playmaker Raphael Manuvire and Zimbabwe looked short on creativity, especially in the first-half, but speedy Marshal Mudehwe did his reputation no harm as he terrorised the Lesotho defence with some mazy runs before an appreciative Barbourfields Stadium crowd.
The match was goalless at half-time as the battling visitors frustrated Calisto Pasuwa's team, but events took a dramatic turn soon after the break as Mutuma netted twice in a ten-minute spell to calm the home nerves. Captain Danny Phiri scored Zimbabwe's third.
Highlanders forward Knox Mutizwa was fouled inside the box just three minute after the break and Mutuma stepped up to convert the resultant spot-kick.
The ginger-haired forward then pounced again nine minutes later with Mutizwa once more involved, but Lesotho were giving as much as they were getting and at times showing more attacking intent.
And they were soon back in the match when Tsepo Lekhoana took advantage of some slack marking to punish the home defence.
Pasuwa then brought in Edmore Chirambadare for Bruce Kangwa in attempt to shake things up as Lesotho threatened to level matters.
It was however, the introduction of FC Platinum forward Brian Muzondiwa for Mutuma which brought some urgency to the Zimbabwean front line.
Muzondiwa was involved in Zimbabwe's third as he chest-passed for Mutizwa to set up Phiri, who slammed home with an unstoppable shot.
How Mine goalkeeper Donovan Bernard was in goal for Zimbabwe behind a central defensive partnership of debutant Steven Makatuka and U-23 star Teenage Hadebe.
An overwhelmed Tafadzwa Kutinyu surprisingly got the nod in midfield ahead of free scoring ZPC Kariba playmaker Raphael Manuvire and Zimbabwe looked short on creativity, especially in the first-half, but speedy Marshal Mudehwe did his reputation no harm as he terrorised the Lesotho defence with some mazy runs before an appreciative Barbourfields Stadium crowd.
Source - Goal.com
